Clapper Bridge, Allt A' Pholl-Choire

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 20/03/2000 Local Authority Highland Planning Authority Highland Parish Gairloch NGR NG 86084 78791 Coordinates 186084, 878791 — Early to mid 19th century. 6-span clapper bridge over Allt a'Pholl-choire. Rubble piers; flat arches each spanned by single stone lintel; rubble entablature missing in places. — The clapper bridge, characterised by the rubble piers spanned by single stone slab, was easier to build than an arched bridge. Tollie Bridge is one of a small number of clapper bridges in this area of Scotland. The precise date of the bridge is not known, however the Old Statistical Account of 1792 notes that "There are many rivers in this parish, but no bridges nor passage but by horses;" (OSA, p90) so the bridge was presumably built after that date. In 1866 Horatio McCulloch (1805-1867), one of Scotland's most influential romantic landscape painters, painted a view of Loch Maree, with Tollie Bridge in the middle ground. This painting not only confirms the bridge as being built before 1866, but also suggests that this form of bridge was thought of as being a significant part of the Highland landscape. According to McEwan (p349), McCulloch contributed more to the popular image of the romantic Victorian landscape than any other painter. His painting of Loch Maree was described as "his last great effort...the very best that ever came from the same gifted hand" (Smith, p95).

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.